Harlem Repertory Theatre
Theatre company
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The Harlem Repertory Theatre (colloquially known as Harlem Rep) is a non profit professional theater company in Harlem. It was founded in 2004 by Keith Lee Grant, a theatre professor at City College with a goal of making theatre accessible to the Harlem community. They primarily seek to present shows that explore issues of class and race.[1]
History
In 2004, the Harlem Repertory Theatre was founded by Keith Lee Grant, a former Broadway performer and City College of New York (CCNY) professor, with funding support from CCNY.[2][3] Its original home was Aaron Davis Hall on the CCNY campus in Harlem, where it performed for seven summer seasons. At this venue, the Harlem Repertory Theatre performed Hair, The Wiz, Vodu (a new musical theatre piece), Bye Bye Birdie, West Side Story, Cabaret, Dreamgirls, Tambourines to Glory, Dutchman, and As You Like It.[4] In 2009, Harlem Rep collaborated with the Theater for the New City on Flahooley.[5][6]
In 2010, Harlem Rep was forced to move off campus, which also cost the company its primary source for funding. It moved to the 133rd Street Arts Center, a 70-seat, second-floor theatre, with the assistance of Grant taking out a personal loan from his retirement fund to keep the company going.[4] It was at this venue that Harlem Rep's production of Dreamgirls ran and received AUDELCO awards in a number of categories.[7] After two seasons, the building was condemned, and Harlem Rep was forced to move again.[4]
In 2013, the company moved to a larger space in the Tato Laviera Theatre in East Harlem, which became their permanent home.[4][8] Among the productions at their East Harlem home are: A Raisin in the Sun (2017),[9] Harburg & Saidy's Jamaica (2017),[10] The Wizard of Oz (2019),[11] and Sweet Charity (2019).[12] Harlem Rep's production of Jamaica was the first New York production of the show since its original 1957 Broadway production.[10]
Awards
| Year | Award | Production | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | AUDELCO[13] | Ain't Misbehavin' | Best Performer in a Musical | Michael J | Nominated |
| Danyel Fulton | Nominated | ||||
| Alexandra Bernard | Nominated | ||||
| Best Choreographer of a Musical | Keith Lee Grant | Nominated | |||
| Best Director of a Musical | Nominated | ||||
| Best Musical Production | - | Nominated | |||
| 2009 | The Wiz | Best Performer in a Musical | Michael J | Nominated | |
| Danyel Fulton | Nominated | ||||
| Alexandra Bernard | Nominated | ||||
| Best Choreographer of a Musical | Keith Lee Grant | Won | |||
| Best Director of a Musical | Won | ||||
| Best Musical Production | - | Nominated | |||
| 2012 | Dreamgirls | Outstanding Performance in a Musical – Male | Oscar Aguirre | Nominated | |
| Best Musical Director | Andrew Araango | Nominated | |||
| 2013 | Outstanding Performance in a Musical – Female | Dion Millington | Won | ||
| Best Director of a Musical | Keith Lee Grant | Won | |||
| Musical Production of the Year | - | Won | |||
| 2016 | In The Heights | Best Revival | - | Nominated | |
| 2017 | A Raisin in the Sun | - | Nominated |